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But she scotched suggestions that the bad weather might put off people coming to Britain – because tourists did not come here to sit on the beach. Britain’s beaches were preferred by domestic visitors – and ignored by tourist from overseas.

She told an Olympics press conference in Westminster on Wednesday: “It is only the Brits who have this complete and utter obsession really with our weather – the rest of the world is slightly less interested.

“Frankly, people don’t come here to lie on the beach – that is not our offer, they come for culture, heritage, sight seeing, they come at all times of the year.”

Later, Ms Dawe, who received an MBE for services to the tourism industry in 2008, defended her comments. She said the UK’s beaches were “fabulous” but that they were mainly used by Britons who “live here”.

She told The Daily Telegraph: “There is a big difference between what UK residents choose to do on holiday and what our global appeal is.

“I am not saying you might not find a foreigner on a beach here, but they come here for culture, heritage, shopping, sight seeing. They might come here to walk along the coast but for the seaside resorts their customers are the domestic market.

“Places like Brighton that have shopping and a funky appeal, overseas visitors go there but that is more for their urban, hip kind of a appeal than because Brighton has a beach.

“I am not doing them down but I am explaining why overseas visitors come here and the difference between the domestic market and the international market."

Malcolm Bell, the head of Visit Cornwall criticised the comments, saying that areas such as St Ives and Newquay had been voted some of the best beaches in Europe.

He said tourists came to Cornwall, in particular, for three reasons.

The beaches were “totally natural”, not destroyed by tractors and without hundreds of umbrellas; they were long and wide due to tidal movements; and two thirds of tourists did not enter the water, instead “they go to enjoy the beach”.

“I think it was unwise and ill informed and very unlike VisitBritain to play down our world class assets,” he said.

“Myself, and many other people who run tourist businesses, would be upset and angry at such derogatory comments. "Our beaches are our shop window.”